Four days after his controversial arrest in Kenya and subsequent extradition, veteran Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye appeared before a military Court in Kampala on Wednesday, November 20. The Court formally charged him with offenses including endangering national security and engaging in subversive activities abroad aimed at destabilizing Uganda.
Besigye, who had been missing since his arrest on November 16 in Nairobi, reemerged at the hearing where four charges, all linked to national security, were presented. Prosecutors allege that he participated in meetings in Geneva, Athens, and Nairobi to secure logistical support for actions intended to destabilize Uganda. Additionally, he faces accusations of illegal firearm possession, a charge shared with his associate Hajj Lutale Kamulegeya, who was arrested alongside him.
The charges stem from a raid by Ugandan security agents on an apartment in Nairobi, where Besigye and Kamulegeya were reportedly attending a book launch by politician Martha Karua. According to the prosecution, two pistols and ammunition were found at the scene. Besigye has denied the allegations, calling them “fabricated,” and pleaded not guilty.
During the hearing, Besigye also contested the military court’s jurisdiction, arguing that, as a civilian no longer serving in the army, his case should be tried in a civilian court.